Gun laws regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the United States. In addition to federal gun laws, most states and some local jurisdictions have additionally imposed their own firearms restrictions. California gun laws are known to be some of the strictest in the United States. For example, California put many restrictions on semi-automatic firearms. Essentially, California state laws banned certain firearms by name and characteristics. One of the provisions relates to the detachability of the magazine. Broadly speaking, certain firearms including many semi-automatic rifles that has a detachable magazine are prohibited
One method to comply with this legal provision is achieved by the use of a magazine release blocking mechanism or a magazine lock such as a bullet Button®. The bullet Button® modifies a rifle so that the magazine is not removable without the use of a tool i.e. a bullet, a small screwdriver or other tools, which presses the magazine release button that is no longer accessible by a finger. The bullet Button® is a device that is attached to the firearm to replace the standard magazine release button. It is a two piece assembly with an inner button and an outer button. The outer button replaces the standard magazine release button. However, it is stationary and will no longer actuate the spring to allow magazine removal. The inner button sits recessed within the outer button and becomes the actual magazine release button. This configuration does not allow the use of a finger to depress the button. Instead, the use of a tool is required to depress the recessed inner button. The most common tool utilized is a bullet tip, hence the term bullet Button®. Firearms with this feature no longer possess a “detachable magazine” characteristics, and therefore may be exempt depending on the other requirements.
Basically the magazine lock makes it more difficult or slow down the process of changing magazine to conform to certain states and federal law. However this creates a problem in certain occasions where the use of firearm with detachable magazine is legal or when the quick release of the magazine is desired such as in shooting competition as it would be inconvenient to disassemble and reassemble the magazine lock.
Hence, many tools have been devised to make it easier and faster to drop and swap the magazine from a firearm equipped with a magazine lock. Some of the prior art tools include a magnetic button that can be attached to the magazine lock or a wrench that can be screwed in to the magazine lock and many others that do not offer the option to be attached to the magazine lock or the firearm itself. A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that possess the novelty of the instant invention, however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
Pat. No.InventorIssue Date2012/0198742Troy et al. Aug. 9, 20128,191,298Cash, et al.Jun. 5, 20128,151,503OzApr. 10, 20127,562,482JohnsonJul. 21, 20095,806,224HagerSep. 15, 1998